The Rules of Blood-Volume Two ; Chapter 61 (277) - The City of Prida
Before one could even start to wonder what Celine thought of Velakia’s letter, there was one more that had to be sent. Blanc’s letter.
And Velakia knew that he and Lendros would be back soon. With the letter sent and a burden off her chest, she left the store, with Tahreni trailing closely in silence.
Velakia knew Tahreni had things to say, trying to keep her away from making another mistake, as a good friend would.
Was she in the mood to hear them? No, not really. Was her mood probably spoiled because of Tahreni’s earlier words? Probably. Were they a lie? Far from that. Were they the truth, then? Velakia couldn’t say.
All she knew was that Tahreni’s worry was baseless since Velakia had already promised herself that the nights she spent with Blanc had come to an end. It was what was best for both of them.
She also planned how best to do it.
But for some reason, Velakia could only sigh every few seconds. Making Tahreni slowly lose her patience.
Luckily for both of them, they approached the spot where they were to meet again with Blanc and Lendros, spotting the two approaching from a distance.
“We’re back,” Blanc said with a nod as he stopped in front of the two women.
“Any issues?” Velakia asked, feigning indifference as she glanced disinterestedly at the nearby shops.
“None,” Blanc shook his head. “And your walk? How was it?”
“Unproductive,” she replied with a sarcastic smile. “Shall we look for clothes?”
Blanc frowned. Her mood had clearly been ruined by something. And judging by the shift in her tone, especially compared to how she spoke before they left, it wasn’t hard to guess he was the cause.
But how?
All he did was carry the supplies back to the inn as she requested.
How could he... he gave up before he even began thinking. He could only shrug mentally. It was Velakia, after all; her occasional anger and displeased attitude were hardly new.
Planning to ask later, he moved to the next thing on their list.
“Let’s go, then,” Blanc muttered, turning to head deeper into the city. He kept his eyes on the storefronts around them, doing his best to enjoy the noise and charm of the streets.
For Lucien hadn’t lied: the true beauty of Prida was inside the bustling city.
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Above, the suspended rope bridges stretched between and above buildings like veins, crisscrossing toward every corner of the city.
On some of them, guards stood watch, gazing down at the crowds from their high vantage points, looking for signs of any trouble. And it seemed it was all because of Blood Seraph’s chaos, at least from what Blanc had picked up in random conversations as they walked.
Still, the most interesting part of the city lay beyond the main road, the residential buildings.
Tall, rectangular structures of stone, built not for war, vantage point, or defense, but for practicality.
Each twenty-foot tower was divided into floors, with every level serving as a separate home for a different family.
It was a cheaper alternative to owning a house, yet from what Blanc observed, it not only seemed to please the civilians, it also made the streets noticeably safer, as there were hardly any beggars or shady figures lurking in quiet alleys.
To Blanc, it was a stroke of genius.
As the second son of Noble Blood Denegis, he hadn’t been taught much on how to rule a Domain, but even he could see the brilliance in this simple design and the wise use of the Domain's plentiful resources.
Even so, Prida had more wonderful things that Blanc loved to look at as they walked around the city.
The Stone Galleries, where the masters of stone carvings chipped away at the stones, making some of the most intricate statues Blanc had ever seen. Beasts, plants, people of legend.
It was fascinating to see how careful and minute the people were.
He saw children, apprentices all, as they ran around on their master’s orders or watched how their master worked carefully. It was a work that started young and ended with one’s death.
A craft that took people a lifetime to master.
But one that showed in all the pieces scattered around the city and the entirety of the Empire.
And lastly, on the eastern side of the city, were the Mines of Prida, the highest trade this city had.
Below Blanc’s feet, deep underground, stretching like the roots of a tree for miles in all directions, were cave systems carved by human hands as they looked for precious metals and gems.
If one were to look for gems, ore, or refined precious metals, this would be the first place they would think of looking for them. Unfortunately, Blanc wasn’t allowed into the mining tunnels, not even after trying to slip the guards a bribe due to the dangers inside.
Velakia’s complaints about his ‘random curiosities’ didn’t help either.
Still, it was a good distraction for him.
And so, after indulging his curiosities as best he could, Blanc finally turned his attention to the search for a clothing store and found the perfect one in less than ten minutes.
It had everything they could possibly need.
From simple civilian wear to the finely tailored outfits of successful merchants and modest Noble Bloods. From undergarments to leather armor and even chainmail.
As they began looking, Blanc used the moment to probe Velakia.
“What’s gotten into you all of a sudden?” he asked, stopping beside her as they looked over the rack of plain trousers.
Velakia didn’t answer. She simply dragged her finger slowly along the fabric, her gaze distant.
“Did I anger you somehow? How is that even possible?” Blanc pressed.
But all he received was a quiet sigh. He parted his lips to speak again, but Tahreni approached silently, her presence enough to make him hold his tongue.
Without another word, Blanc shook his head, turned, and walked deeper into the store to continue his search.
Velakia reached out, her hand stretching toward him, only for Tahreni to gently grab her forearm, stopping her just before her fingers brushed against Blanc’s tunic.
.
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Volume Two ; Chapter 61 (277) - The City of Prida
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